A UW-Madison student recalled four women's stories of dating violence Monday night when she read selections from her anthology on the subject before approximately 35 students and community members at Canterbury Booksellers, 315 W. Gorham St.
Senior Rachel Perry, interviewed eight female UW-Madison students and graduates who suffered relationship abuse and compiled their stories into an anthology entitled \Raising Voices.""
Perry said dating abuse is stigmatized and underreported on campus and she wanted to create a forum for students to anonymously share their stories of abuse.
""I just hope this project will continue to create dialogue around this issue,"" Perry said.
At the reading, Perry read about ""Christina,"" a UW-Madison student whose relationship with a well-known basketball player turned violent. Christina's partner was verbally abusive, hit her, kicked her and threw her over the back of a couch. He also threw her down a flight of stairs while she was pregnant.
""That's when I decided this is it--I can't have a kid with him,"" Christina said. ""I decided to get an abortion.""
Perry also read about Jess, a UW-Madison student who was raped by her same-sex partner and became suicidal, turning to self-injury to cope with the abuse.
Perry said she thinks professors and administrators can do more to help students cope with dating abuse. She said many abuse victims are reluctant to approach their professors because they are afraid professors will only think they are making excuses.
The Wisconsin Idea Fellowship, a program coordinated by the Morgridge Center for Public Service that offers undergraduates an opportunity to do original research, supported Perry in compiling her eight-page anthology.
Perry said she chose a project about dating abuse because she will receive credit towards her women's studies major and she has experience with the topic working for two years as a volunteer at the Rape Crisis Center.
""I wanted to do some sort of project that would have a tangible effect on the UW campus,"" Perry said. ""From the response I've gotten so far, it has.""
Nearly 3,000 copies of the anthology have been distributed around campus. Students can also obtain an online version at the University Health System's Web site, http://www.uhs.wisc.edu.
Mary Smith, a UW-Madison senior, attended the reading. Although Perry only read stories about UW-Madison students, Smith said hearing about schoolmates suffering from dating abuse did not make the problem any more relevant.
""This is a powerful issue no matter who you think about,"" she said.
